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With a Heaviness in my Heart

Several years ago I started a charity called Future in our Hands. Knowing just how much I took from society in my youth, I wanted to give something back during my adulthood. I was a troubled child and Future in our Hands set out to help troubled children. Back in 2005, we set up a children’s day. Future in our Hands helped to raise money to build a play park for disabled children. We had a motorbike exhibition, a market, a type rope walker and lots of bands playing from morning until evening.

You can imagine the hours of work that goes into planning such a day. I spent weeks planning this day. I contacted the local biker club and of course, they were only too happy to help out. The type rope walker was an American friend of mine. He set up a line from two bridges in town and people were able to set bets on just how far he would make it across the water.

Having worked within the school system in Kungsbacka,Sweden, I have met an awful lot of incredible, talented youngsters, young people who excel in so many areas. What I needed was music.

This post isn’t really about Future in our Hands. It isn’t about what we accomplished. It’s about one particular, young man, who touched the hearts of so many, Nicklas Hocker. He had a great singing voice. He was a true performer. In his early teens; I just had to have him sing that day. He really drew in the crowds, especially the female variety. Nicklas went on to perform on the Swedish talent show, ‘Idol 2009’. Of all the youngsters who have performed for me over the years, Nicklas was without a doubt one of the closest to my heart.

And so it is with sadness in my heart that I announce the death of this extraordinary, young man. Just twenty years old. I cannot and will not reveal the circumstances of his death. But I would like to extend my unbridled sympathy to his parents, family and friends.

Nicklas Hocker was a talent to be reckoned with and he will be so greatly missed by so many. The world is a poorer place without him in it.

4 thoughts on “With a Heaviness in my Heart”

It’s really a terrible chock! and you wrote it so well, Gavin! He will be missed <3
That kind of news, when a young person, who actually just open their world suddenly gone, always make my heart broken
I feel sad and lost… knowing that behind me there are families and friends who'll miss him terribly! and I just can't stop asking my self: why him?